PITTSBURGH, May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today praised the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announcement of a final rule revising the current regulation on its injury and illness record-keeping requirements.

Under the revised rule, all employers must submit illness and injury reports electronically, with a frequency dependent on the size of the workplace. Previously, OSHA's regulations only required employers covered under OSHA to record and maintain illness and injury reports.

"The new rule requiring work accident and illness data to be submitted electronically provides OSHA with information on serious injuries and illnesses, saving workers' lives and making workplaces safer," said Michael Wright, USW Director of the Health, Safety and Environment Department.

"The electronic posting of this information will also allow easy access to essential data," said Wright, "enhancing the ability of workers, unions and management officials to efficiently identify workplace hazards and unsafe conditions and to take action to prevent future injuries."

In addition to these changes, the rule helps to ensure the accuracy of workplace injury and illness reports. It enhances workers' understanding of their rights to report injuries and illnesses, and it puts in place safeguards so that employers that try to underreport workplace illnesses and injuries or retaliate against workers who report can now be held accountable.

"This rule will be instrumental in altering the landscape," said Wright. "Workers can now feel free to report work-related injuries and illnesses, the hazards responsible for them can be identified and addressed, and OSHA can fulfill its role in ensuring the protection of this nation's workforce."

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in a wide range of industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: http://www.usw.org/.